Ophthalmic mounting



1941' J. J. POMERANZ ET AL 2,257,810

OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING Filed NOV. 22. 1939 19 T TOP/V5 Y5 Patented Oct. 7, 1941 OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING Jacob J. Pomeranz, Brooklyn, and Vincent Tanasso, Harrison, N. Y.

Application November 22, 1939, Serial No. 305,574

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in an ophthalmic mounting and has particular reference to a frame construction of the rimless type.

Eyeglasses have been made, heretofore, wherein there is provided a frame including lens members and a connecting bridge and in which said lens members extend along the upper edges and to the rear of the lenses in spaced relation thereto so that said members are, at least, partially invisible from the front of the eyeglasses. In constructions of this kind, it has been the custom to support each lens in position relative to the frame merely by the use of a lens strap which is frequently found to be inadequate to support the rimless lens against sagging below its horizontal axis.

It is proposed, by the present invention, to overcome the above difiiculty through the medium of a lens mounting which affords a reinforcing structure that enables a lens to be much more rigidly supported in front of the lens member of a frame than has been possible heretofore.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions one of which, for purposes of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawing herein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an ophthalmic mounting constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the mounting for one lens, and

Figure 3 is a transverse section substantially taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

As shown in the preferred form, the mounting comprises a frame which may be of one piece of material and consists of a bridge 4 and curved lens members 5 at each end of the bridge. The outer end of the .brow section of each lens member 5 terminates in an end piece 6 to which is pivoted the usual temple 1. The inner end or nasal section of each lens member 5 is curved downwardly and has associated therewith the novel structure by means of which a lens 8 is rigidly supported in a substantially vertical plane in front of the associated lens member 5 with the latter extending to the rear of and along the upper edge of said lens in spaced relation thereto.

The structure for so mounting a lens preferably comprises a lens supporting element, generally indicated by the numeral 9. This element may be formed from an elongated strap of bendable metal the main portion ll! of which is curved to conform to the contour of the edge of the lens which engages the same when said lens is secured in position. For the greater part of the length of the element 9 the same is provided upon the inner edge of its portion I0 with an angular flange II which terminates short of both ends of the portion I9 to leave the fiat extremities l2 which may be readily bent to conform to the curvature of the lens edge. The intermediate .portion of the supporting element 9 is thus of angular form and affords a shoe or seat in which the edge of a lens may be seated with a considerable portion of said edge adequately braced by engagement with the portion l0 and the flange II. In order to attach or to secure the lens in position, a lens strap 13 is provided which may be placed in straddling position at any suitable point along the element 9, said strap being secured to said element by solder or any other convenient means.

The lens supporting element 9 is rigidly affixed to the inner curved end of the lens member 5 in spaced relation thereto by means of a two-point connection. At one point the bight portion of the lens strap I3 is joined to the member 5 by the cross strap or connection 14. The second point of connection is preferably at'the inner extremity of the lens member 5 and, in this instance, the nose pad arm l5 may be employed. This arm I5 is extended crosswise between the member 5 and element 9 and is soldered to the inner extremity of said member and also to the element 9 at a point adjacent the lower extremity l2, thus leaving the latter free to be bent when adjusting the mounting to the lens. By joining element 9 to the lens member 5 at the two points as just described, there is provided a rigid structure which is adequately reinforced so that, after a lens is secured thereto, there will be very little, if any, likelihood of a sagging of the lens from its original adjusted position.

. What is claimed is:

In an ophthalmic mounting, a frame member, a bendable lens supporting element mounted in front of said frame member and consisting of an elongated shoe angular in cross section for a portion of its length, a lens strap secured to said supporting element adjacent one end thereof, a cross connection between said strap and frame member, and a nose pad arm joining said frame member with said supporting element adjacent the other end of the latter, the ends of said shoe extending beyond said strap and arm being bendable so as to conform to the contour of the lens edge engaged with said supporting element.

JACOB J. POMERANZ. VINCENT TANASSO. 

